NBA PLAYOFFS - Play-In Tournament (April 16-19)

The NBA Regular Season is over and the playoffs begin this week. The top 8 sides from the Western and Eastern Conferences will duel it out for the coveted NBA Title. Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs (Best of 7 Game Series) will begin this Saturday (April 20) and a new topic will be opened for Round 1 but for now this topic covers the Play-In Tournament.

For anyone who is going to be betting the NBA Playoffs or following tips, below is a brief breakdown of how the playoffs will work.

The top 6 teams from each conference have directly qualified for the Playoffs (Round 1).
From the Western Conference these teams include:

Oklahoma City Thunder (Number 1 Seed)
Denver Nuggets (Number 2 Seed)
Minnesota Timberwolves (Number 3 Seed)
LA Clippers (Number 4 Seed)
Dallas Mavericks (Number 5 Seed)
Phoenix Suns (Number 6 Seed)

And the Eastern Conference:

Boston Celtics (Number 1 Seed)
NY Knicks (Number 2 Seed)
Milwaukee Bucks (Number 3 Seed)
Cleveland Cavaliers (Number 4 Seed)
Orlando Magic (Number 5 Seed)
Indiana Pacers (Number 6 Seed)

The remaining 2 Seeds for each Conference (Number 7th/8th Seeds) will come from the Play-In Tournament. The Play-In Tournament is for teams who just missed out on Round 1 of the playoffs and who finished in position 7-10 on the regular season table. Each Play-In Tournament game is one single leg only and broken down into two games from each Conference (similar to the IPL Playoffs, a qualifier and then eliminator scenario). Teams who finished 7th & 8th in the regular season will have two chances to make the Playoffs, while teams 9 & 10, have one chance.

Below are the teams competing in the Play-In Tournament and the dates for the games:

Western Conference:
7/8 Game - LA Lakers vs NO Pelicans (April 16) - Winner progresses to Round 1 of Playoffs
9/10 Game - Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings (April 16) - Winner faces loser of the Lakers/Pelicans Game
April 19th - Loser of Lakers/Pelicans vs Winner of Warriors/Kings

Eastern Conference:
7/8 Game - Miami Heat vs Philadelphia 76ers (April 17) - Winner progresses to Round 1 of Playoffs
9/10 Game - Atlanta Hawks vs Chicago Bulls (April 17) - Winner faces loser of the Heat/76ers Game
April 19th - Loser of Heat/76ers vs Winner of Hawks/Bulls

As always, any tips and info for the Play-In Tournament are welcomed and goodluck to those betting the NBA Playoffs.

Tuesday 16th April

21/20 Sportingbet Bet Builder in Pelicans/Lakers
CJ McCollum (Pelicans) over 2.5 3Pointers
CJ McCollum (Pelicans) over 2.5 Assists
Austin Reaves (Lakers) 20+ Points + Rebounds + Assists

Took a boost of Lakers and Warriors @4/1

Naidoo wrote: Tuesday 16th April

21/20 Sportingbet Bet Builder in Pelicans/Lakers
CJ McCollum (Pelicans) over 2.5 3Pointers
CJ McCollum (Pelicans) over 2.5 Assists
Austin Reaves (Lakers) 20+ Points + Rebounds + Assists

Very disappointing performance by CJ McCollum last night, shooting a dismal 1/9 (11%) from the 3 Point Range. Feels like his off night cost the Pelicans the win.

Friday night in the win or go home game against the Kings, he should have a bounce back game so one to keep an eye on.

Will post my bets for the two Eastern Conference games later today.

Wednesday 17th/Thursday 18th
Jimmy Butler (Heat) over 1.5 steals- 1.9 odds
Bruno Fernando (Hawks) over 6.5 points and assists -1.8 odds
Both on bet365

Wednesday April 17th

Duncan Robinson (Heat) over 1.5 Rebounds - 0.91/1 (Sportingbet)

0.91/1 Sportingbet Bet Builder Hawks/Bulls
Dosunmu (Bulls) 10+ Points
Hunter (Hawks) 10+ Points
White (Bulls) 4+ Assists

doubler wrote: Wednesday 17th/Thursday 18th
Jimmy Butler (Heat) over 1.5 steals- 1.9 odds
Bruno Fernando (Hawks) over 6.5 points and assists -1.8 odds
Both on bet365

Brilliant call on Butler steals Doubler, very easy first quarter winner!

Naidoo wrote:

doubler wrote: Wednesday 17th/Thursday 18th
Jimmy Butler (Heat) over 1.5 steals- 1.9 odds
Bruno Fernando (Hawks) over 6.5 points and assists -1.8 odds
Both on bet365

Brilliant call on Butler steals Doubler, very easy first quarter winner!

Thanks Naidoo, playoff Jimmy is always a thing.
Unfortunately Bruno Fernando had 5 points in the first half, plays 1 minute in the second half to get one assist and his points and assists die on the hook ending at 6 total!

Friday 19th/ Saturday 20th
DeMar DeRozan (Bulls) over 31.5 Points + Assists -1.8 odds on Sportsbet
Tyler Herro (Heat) over 5.5 1st quarter points - 2.05 odds on Sportsbet
Keegan Murray (Kings) over 24.5 Points + Rebounds -1.86 odds on bet365

Thanks Doubler and Goodluck with your bets for tonight, I will follow these and add my selections later today. I will also start the Round 1 playoff topic later this afternoon.

NBA Friday 19 April

Win or bust for these four teams tonight with only two spots available for the Playoffs.

Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat

With no Rozier and Butler, other fringe Heat players will have to step up to help Herro and Bam tonight and I like Haywood Highsmith to do just that. He has killed it for the heat without Rozier and Butler in the past and in this massive game, he should deliver once again.

Haywood Highsmith (Heat) over 12.5 Points + Rebounds + Assists @ evens (Sportingbet)

Sacramento Kings at New Orleans Pelicans

Redemption time for CJ McCollum after that disaster against the Lakers. No Zion tonight, so the Pelicans will need him big time, I see Ingram facilitating the floor so taking CJ to score some 3Pointers.

CJ McCollum over 3.5 3Pointers @ 8/10 (Sunbet)